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Penn State students working to get peers counted for census

February 2, 2010

Penn State students working to get peers counted for census

University Park, Pa. — Five Penn State students are heading a promotional and informational campaign to get every person in Centre County counted for the 2010 Census, with a special focus on rural and college student populations -- two groups with traditionally low return rates.

Count Centre County is teaming with area establishments to host informational events throughout February. The group will have a table from 1:30-4 p.m. on Feb. 5 outside the North Atherton Street Wal-Mart; tables in the HUB-Robeson Center and University Park residence halls; guest speaker Richard Buck, Census 2010 Partnership Specialist, at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the State Theatre; and a trivia night on Feb. 24 at Rotelli, 250 E. Calder Way, State College.

A community outreach effort promoting awareness of and participation in the United States 2010 Census, Count Centre County is run by Penn State senior public relations students Laura Peck, Jennifer Wallington, Emily Franklin, Kate Wiedie and Emily Simmons. They are promoting the census for the Public Relations Student Society of America's Bateman Competition, a national campaign contest for PR students.

Census data is crucial to determining the apportioning of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the distribution of more than $400 billion annually in federal funds. It is meant to be a snapshot of of everyone living at an address on April 1, 2010.